Kipp Bill to Reduce Suicide, Prevent Firearm Deaths Passes Committee

SB25-034 would allow people to voluntarily waive their right to purchase a firearm

DENVER, CO – Senator Cathy Kipp’s, D-Fort Collins, bill to reduce suicide by establishing a process for allowing a person to voluntarily waive their own right to purchase a firearm passed the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee today. 

SB25-034 would establish a process to enable a person to voluntarily waive their own right to purchase a firearm through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation in the Department of Public Safety. For a person at risk of suicide, the decision to voluntarily suspend access to a firearm can significantly decrease the probability of death.

“Mental health crises can impact anyone, and when they escalate to suicidal thoughts, they are often brief and impulsive. When attempted by means of a firearm, a second chance at life is rare,” said Kipp. “Approximately 90 percent of people who survive their first suicide attempt do not ultimately die by suicide – this bill is about giving people who are in crisis that second chance.”

In 2023, 70 percent of all firearm deaths in Colorado were suicides, and in the same year, the state had the 13th highest rate of firearm suicide. Research shows that delaying access to firearms significantly decreases gun suicides without increasing non-gun-related suicides. 

The bill would also create a pathway for a person to revoke a waiver, upon which time the waiver would remain in effect for 30 days. This 30-day waiting period is intended to provide time for a mental health crisis to pass and a support system to be built. 

SB25-034 now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration. Track the bill’s progress HERE.